xx-grape-jelly-guy

I would like to have a discussion about a uniquely Southern preference: the addition of jelly to your sausage biscuit. No, let’s back up. Let’s just start with the sausage biscuit. Back in the 1980s, when I lived in Charlotte, my oldest friend came to visit from Illinois. We were driving down Independence Boulevard when she spotted a sign for sausage biscuits. “What is that?” she asked quizzically. What is that? Really? It never occurred to me that the entire country didn’t know about sausage biscuits. It also didn’t occur to me that the sausage meat for patties isn’t sold everywhere in the U.S. A lot of places prefer links, but that would never do down here because they would make awkward looking sausage biscuits.

My preference for sausage is Tennessee Pride Hot when I’m making sausage biscuits at home. King Daddy likes his sausage spicy. I must admit I don’t make biscuits. Pillsbury Southern-Style Biscuits are better than anything I could produce without the assistance of Mark’s Granny Belle, who thoughtlessly passed away before I had the chance to meet her.

There are really only two condiments in widespread use for sausage biscuits. Plain yellow mustard and grape jelly. It can’t be Grey Poupon or honey mustard. And it can’t be strawberry jam or peach preserves. I don’t know why in either case, but Southerners are very stuck on tradition.

Pork tenderloin biscuitHowever, when one strays away from the sausage biscuit to an adaptation, the rules go out the window. So last night, I made Southern Living’s recipe for Peppery Pork Biscuits. Delicious! They include a recipe for Fig Onion Jam, but as much as I want to be a fig person, I am not. I am, however, a blackberry lime jam person. West Wind Farms, run by my not-so-new favorite boyfriend, Ralph, and his lovely wife, Kimberlie (who is completely not threatened by my adoration of Ralph – I don’t know why) sell these spectacular and unusual jams. They’re made by the Farmer family in Signal Mountain, Tennessee, which just tickles me because they’re farmers and they’re Farmers!

I quite honestly don’t know if sausage biscuits have now swept the country and are served everywhere, or if my friend’s quizzical response to seeing the name on a sign still stands.

But here’s your chance to weigh in. Plain yellow mustard or grape jelly? And no fair saying both. That really is not done.


3 Comments

  1. Sisi Carroll
    Sisi CarrollReply
    August 28, 2013 at 3:04 pm

    I adore ALL your posts. You make my day. Thank you!!
    Sisi, your faithful reader from Montana.

    • Catherine Mayhew
      Catherine MayhewReply
      August 28, 2013 at 3:21 pm

      Thank you! You made my day.

  2. amber
    amberReply
    April 17, 2014 at 1:46 pm

    I have to say, I grew up in Alabama and for me it HAS to be grape jelly. I almost can’t think of a time when I didn’t use grape jelly on mine and feel like sausage should be served with mustard for dinner and then those are links, not patties. that is just me though and like I always say, I know that my preferences aren’t everyones and food should make you smile. So make yourself happy with your food but don’t be afraid to try new things because you never know what you are going to like.

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